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glatten tata 'atent @titre L. II. MILLER, O F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Letters Patent No. 73,742, lated January 28, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN PERll/IUTAIION-LOGKS.

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TO .ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, L. II. MILLER, 'of Baltimore, in` the county of Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combination-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification.

Figure l represents a horizontal section of the entire lock, operating-knob, and gearing at o e, fig. 2.

Figure 2, a vertical section of the same at x se, tig. 1.

Figure 3, a vertical section ot' the lock proper, at y y, fig. 1.

Figure 4 is 'a front view of the lock proper, with the face-plate removed, as indicated by the line zz,iig. 1.

Figure 5 is a rear view of one of the rotary tumblers or slotted wheels, hereinafter described;

Figure (i represents a section of the same in the-plane of its axis.

The red arrows in g. 1 indicate the directions of the views, represented hy the respective gures 2, 3, and 4.

In all the figures similar letters of reference indicate corresponding` parts.

My improvements consist, first, in so constructing a permutation-lock and its accessories, as to bring the spindle or arbor which operates it on the .outside of the lock proper, so as to avoid all danger of injury to the latter by violence applied to the external knob or spindle; second, in the combination of a pair of notched wheels mounted on the spindle, and deriving a common rotation therefrom, but so connected as to-be capable of a limited independent rotation, so that, while they are rotated continuously in either direction,` the hinged arm of the loch-holt will ride on their periphcries, but, bylturning them to a certain point and then reversing, their notches may be brought into coincident position with eachother and with the hinged arm, so that the latter will engage in the notches and cause `the rotation of the spindle to throw the bolt; third, in a peculiar construction of rdvolving tumblers.

In the drawings, A A may represent portions of the franje of Aa safe-doorgand B B the lock-case. C is a spindle, journalled in the front part, A,`ot the door-frame, externally, of the lock-case B, and carrying at its inner end a cog-wheel, D, which, projecting through a slot, b, inthe lock-case, gears with a cog-wheel, E, mounted loosely upon a stationary stud-shaft, e, within the case B, and employed to communicate motion to the'interior mechanism of the lock, in manner hereinafter explained.

C represents the knob, by means of which the spindle C is rotated. e represents a dial, attached to and rotating with the spindle C, and a an index-point, on a. stationary plate` attached to the door.

Attached to andvrevolving with 'thecog-wheel E is a wheel, F', whose periphery is smooth and unbroken, save lby a notch, j', (figs. 3 and 4.) G is a wheel, corresponding in size with the wheel F, and formed with a similarnotch at g. The wheel Gr isl mounted loosely on the stud-shaft e, and receives rotation from the wheel F by means of a pin, f', projecting from the face of the said wheel F into a concentric slot, g, in the wheel-G. This device permits the wheel F to be rotated a short distance without moving the wheel Gr, but as soon as the pin f" reaches either end. ofl the slot y', the continued rotation of the wheel F will carry the wheel with it. The relative arrangement of the pin, slot, and notches in the wheelsF G is such that, when the pin is at or hear the mid-length of the slot, the two notchesgc and g will coincide, but while the pin is at either end-of the slotY the notches are not opposite each other, so that while the wheels are rotated continuously in either direction, they present an unbroken periphery.

'.lhe lock-bolt His slotted nearts rear end, so as toi'it and slide over the flattened end ofthe stud e; I is an arm, pivoted at z' to the lock-bolt, and formed with a laterally-projecting lug, t', which is pressed against the periphery of the wheels F G by the action of a spring, J.

From the above description it will appear that while the wheels F G are rotated continuously in either direc. tion, the lug 1" will ride on their periphery, but if the rotation of said wheels be stopped, when the notch g of the wheel G reaches the position of the lug z", and the rotation of the wheelF be reversed, the wheel Gwillrest until the notchf of thc wheel F reaches the position of the lug i', when the latter will be pressed into the said notches hy the spring J, so that a'further rotation of the wheel F,'in the direction indicated by arrow 1 in iig; 3, will retract the bolt II. rEhe reverse motion, (indicated by arrow 2,) after projecting the holt, will throw the lug t" out of the notchesj and g, which itcannot re-enter until the said notches rhave again-been brought inte coincidence with each other and with the lug i', in the manner already explained. Under-these conditions there is no operative conncctionbetwcc'n the door-knob and the lock-boit, and no possibility oflocatingthe notches fg by feeling, and the forcible retraction of the bolt is prevented by the arm I engaging with a shoulder, I1', on the lock-case.

K is a plate, which is carried by the lock-bolt, andis capable of limited sliding motion thereon. Rigidly attached to the plate K is a horizontall stump, L, which projects through a slot in thelockfbolt, a little longer than the width of the stump, and through a slot in the lock-case, of a length equal to the extent of the motion of the bolt. I

o M Ml M2 M5.M4 represent a set vot' `rotary tumblers, mounted on a stationary stud-shaft, N, and provided with radial slots m5, to permit the passage of the stump L when properly adjusted. The tumbler M is rotated by a cog-wheel, O, secured to its face, and gearing with the cog-wheel E, and has on its back a lug, m, to communicate rotation' to the next tumbler M. Each of the tumblers ll l M2 M3 M4 is constructed as represented in iigs 5 and 6, with an annular cavity, ml/a flaring hub, mz, for prehensien, cquidistant notches'ma, around its periphery, and Vholes m, extending from they bottoms of said notches through to the cavity m1.. Eachiof the said tnmblers'car'ries a pin, Q, Whose lshank is inserted in either of the holes m, and being split, as shown in iig. 5, is secure against accidental'escape. The heads got' these pins occupy the notches mi, and project laterally, to a suiiicieut distance to communicate motion from one wheel to the other, and (in the case of the tumbler M1) to receive motion from the lug m of the tumbler M. The notches m3 are marked with successive letters and figures, asshown in iig. 5, corresponding letters and figures being marked upon the external rotary dial c.

` P represents a cap-plate,pivoted at p to the back of 'the lock-case, -and secured at its opposite edge by a thumb-screw, 2). By taking out the thumb-screw p', and turning the cap-plate'round upon its pivot, the tumbler-- chamber is opened, permitting the removal of the tumblers, one by one, to change the combinationy on which the lock is set, by placing the pins Q g in suitable notches ofthe respective tumblers, the rear tumbler M? carrying the first letter or figure oi" the combination, the next, M3, the second, and so on. i

R is a dog, pivoted at r to the lockb'olt, and confined at its other end by a screw, S, which passes through a slot, s, in the dog,` so as to allow the latter a limited play on its pivoti'. Tis a pin, projecting from the slide K through an aperture in the dog R. j I

By this arrangement the dog oi'ers no resistance to the retraction ofthe bolt, 'it' the slide be carried along with it, but if, by reason of the obstruction ot' the sliding stump L, by either ofthe rotary tumblers M M, kc., the motion of the sliding plate K be arrested, the attempted retraction' ot the bolt will throw up the projecting armvr of the dog, causing it to engage with the'square end of' the stud c, which thas performs thc oilice oi a stationary stump. This device eifectually prevents the adjustment of the rotary tumblers by tentation or feeling.4

On changing theO combination it is always necessary to ,have ve or more notches between the successive characters of the combination. If the lock be set on the combination Gr O L D, the mode of operation in order ,tovunlct'ck itis as follows: First, make o ne or more turns to the left, and stop on G; second, reverse, and turn to the right,`and pass the second letter of the combination, O, three times, and stop on it the fourth time; third, reverse, and turn to the left, and pass the third letter, L, twice, and stop on it the third time; fourth, reverse, and turn tothe right, and pass the fourth letter, D, once, and stop on it the second time; i'th, reverse, and turn to the left, and stop on *5 then turn to the right, and it will-retract the bolt. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A permutation-lock, so constructed as to bring the spindle or arbor which operates it on the outside of the lock proper, 'substantially as set forth.

2. The two wheels F G, capable of limited independent motion, in combination with a suitable catch, adapted t0 engage with the said wheels F G, when they are properly adjusted, and at Yother times riding on the unbroken periphery of the two wheels, substantially as explained.

3. The 'Haring or under-cnt rim m2 ofthe rotary tumblers, to adapt them for ready removal by hand, sub stantially as explained. Y p

4; The combination of the notches m3, radial holes m, and pin q, when constructed, arranged, and

employedsubstantiully as and for the purposes specied. v

` L. H. MILLER.

Witnesses:

WM. D. MILLER, Jr., A. B. Rnrnnsnn'r. 

